Pneumatic toy stove and accessories



p 1965 N. J. PALUMBO ETAL 3,205,610

PNEUMATIC TOY STOVE AND ACCESSORIES Filed Dec. 1, 1964 I 2 Sheets-Sheet1 F/GJ F/GIZa ATTORNEYS.

P 1965 N. J. PALUMBQ ETAL 3,205,610

PNEUMATIC TOY STOVE AND ACCESSORIES Filed Dec. 1, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTORS.

IVU/VZ/O J. PALUMiO LEONARD L. ROSE/VFELD uiu NAM.

United States Patent 3,2ti5,610 PNEUMATIC 'IGY S'IGVE AND ACES0RIESNunzio I. Palumho and Leonard L. Rosenfeld, Huntingtlon Valley, Fm,assiguors to Arnseo Industries, Inc, Hathoro, Pa, a corporation ofPennsyivania Filed-Dec. 1, 1964, Ser. No. 415,069 11 Claims. (til.lo-14) This invention relates to a toy stove and to accessories whichcooperate therewith to give efiects reminiscent of boiling. Moreparticularly, it pertains to a toy pneumatic reservoir, which resemblesa stove, and to accessories cooperative therewith to simulate boiling.These accessories, most conveniently, are fabricated to resemblekettles, pots, pans and the like.

It has long been recognized in the toy industry that toys having thegreatest play value are those which allow the child to emulate actionsor activities of the parent. Yet problems are posed when the toy makerseeks to imitate a device which involves simulation of an inherentlydangerous instrumentality such as, for example, heat, fire or boilingwater. It is a challenge to give effects which are realistic but which,in the toy, involve no such dangerous instrumentalities. Such toys can,consequently, be used by children without adult supervision or concern.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide toys whichutilize compressed air as a means for simulating boiling and the noisesassociated with boiling.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a pneumaticreservoir, and associated means for inflating said reservoir, in a formresembling a stove or hot plate.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a housing containing apneumatic reservoir, means for inflating the reservoir and check valvemeans for preventing the escape of air from the reservoir except whenaccessory devices are mounted in association therewith.

An additional object of the invention is to provide accessoriesresembling kettles, pans and the like which contain means for tappingthe pneumatic reservoir portion of a stove-like base.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy, of the. characterdescribed, which has long-lasting play value, is simple in operation,has no potential for harming the user, is economical to produce, highlyefficient in operation and rugged in construction.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the disclosure in the following specification,appended claims and drawings, wherein like reference numerals designatelike parts, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 represents a top plan view, partially cut away, of a stove baseembodying the invention.

FIGURE 2 represents a section taken through line Z-2 of FIGURE 1modified by the inclusion of a partially cut away perspective of anaccessory mounted thereon, in this case a toy tea kettle.

FIGURE 2a represents a section taken along line 2a-2a of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 3 represents a section taken. along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4- represents a section taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 represents a sectional view of another embodiment of theinvention showing a stove base with an accessory, in this instance asaucepan full of boiling water, mounted thereon.

FIGURE 6 represents a section taken through line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 represents a fragmentary section taken along line 7-7 of FIGURE6.

FIGURE 8 represents a fragmentary section taken along line 88 of FIGURE6.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be observed that the inventioncomprises a housing A which may best resemble a hot plate or stove andupon which may be alternatively mounted a variety of accessories suchas, for example, a whistling tea kettle B or a boiling saucepan C.

I. Stove construction and operation Stove A comprises a generallyrectangular housing 10 including one or more raised burner-simulatingportions 11 each of which is concentric about a protruding generallyfrusto-conical valve housing 12. As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 5, burnerportion 11 may also be provided with a series of concentric ridges 13which simulate the appearance of the coils of an electric burnerelement.

A bellows pump 14, reciprocated by means of an integral plunger 15, ismounted within the housing and held in place by an annular retainer 16,within which plunger 15 is free to reciprocate. Air for the bellowsenters through an orifice 17'.

Attached to the bottom of the bellows pump 14, as by an adapter 18, is ahollow manifold, generally 19 which includes a cored inlet leg 2t), acored discharge leg 21 and a cored reservoir leg 22. Manifold 19 furtherincludes an enlarged chamber 23 within which is positioned a ball 24 ingeneral aligned registration with opposed inlet leg 20 and discharge leg21. A seat 25 for ball 24 15 provided within chamber 23, proximate theinlet leg 20. Associated with discharge leg 21 are a plurality of ballstopping pins 26. As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, ball 24 is resting onseat 25. However, the ball can also rest in contact with pins 26 thusenabling communication between chamber 23 and inlet leg 20.

Attached to reservoir leg 22, as by mounting thereupon, is a pneumaticreservoir which may conveniently take the form of a bladder or balloon27.

Attached to the discharge leg 21 is a length of flexible hose 28 whichconnects to an adapter 29, which mounts on valve housing 12 and formspart thereof. Adapter 29 has a cored interior and is provided with arestrictive orifice 30.

A ball 31 is confined within housing 12 and is urged, by a spring 32,into resilient air-sealing juxtaposition with the apical terminus ofhousing 12.

Operation of the stove portion is as follows. In the position of thebellows pump 14 shown in FIGURE 1, the interior of the bellows is incommunication with the atmosphere via orifice 17. The orifice iscovered, as with a thumb or finger, and plunger 15 depressed. Air,compressed within the bellows, enters inlet 20 and forces ball 24 offseat 25 so that it enters chamber 23. This air is unable to leavethrough hose 28, because ball 31 prevents flow of air out of housing 12.Consequently, it must enter and inflate bladder 27. When plunger 15 isreleased, the super-atmospheric pressure on the reservoir side ofmanifold 19 forces ball 24 back into contact with seat 25. In thisconnection, the function of pins 25 becomes apparent. Were they notpresent, the ball 24 would seal discharge leg 21' as long as pressure inthe manifold chamber was above that in the hose 28. But, by spacing theball with pins 26 to prevent sealing of outlet 21, equal pressure ismaintained in tube 28 and chamber 23 so that the pressure differential,when the plunger is released, always causes seating of ball 24 on seat25. Obviously, orifice 17 is only one way in which air for compressioncan be supplied and the use of a check inlet valve or flapper on thebellows, while more expensive, would be equally suitable.

After bladder 27 is fully inflated, a reservoir of compressed air existswhich can be used for creating the effects first mentioned. Discharge ofthe air can be achieved only through mechanical depression or unseat-II. Whistling tea kettle One air-utilizing accessory suitable for usewith stove A is the whistling tea kettle B, shown in FIGURE 2. This teakettle includes a housing having sides 40, a top 41 and a bottom 42. Thekettle is provided with a handle 43, a spout 44 and a hinged spout cap45 which is conveniently opened and closed with cap operator 46. All ofthese features simulate the appearance and function of full size teakettles commonly available. The construction is water tight throughoutso that the kettle holds water. It may be filled and emptied throughspout 44.

Bottom 42 is provided with a dependent circular lip 47, the diameter ofwhich complements the diameter of burner portion 11. As shown, the lip47 retains the kettle on the burner 11 against transverse misalignment.Additional alignment is provided by frusto-conical bottom portion 48which complements valve housing 12 and fits over it when kettle B ismounted on stove A. An internal tube 49 is mounted on the apical sectionof bottom portion 48 and rises vertically, along the axis of the kettle,terminating after it passes through top 41 in a whistle 56. At the mouthor inlet of tube 49 is provided a bar 51 which terminates in a dependentball depresser portion 52, as particularly shown in FIGURE 2a. I

Operation is relatively straightforward. A child fills the kettle withwater and places it upon stove A, the bladder 27 of which has previouslybeen inflated. Lip 47 aids in seating bottom 42 over burner portion 11so that houspan. The pan is then placed onstove portion 11, with lip 65and shoulder 66 aiding in alignment, so that housing 12 nests in opening67 and tongue 68 depresses ball '31. Air then leaves bladder 27 andtravels through air channels 70, 71, '72, '73 and 74 seriatim to besparged, through restrictive orifice 69, into the body of the liquid.The air creates a series of bubbles 76 and also makes the surface of thewater turbulent, effects both reminiscent of boiling. a

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, suchdescription is intended to be illustrative rather than limiting, sincethe invention may be variously embodied and its extent, consequently, isto be determined by the appended claims.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. A pneumatic'toy comprising (a) a housing having the configuration ofa stove; a pneumatic reservoir within said housing; means for inflatingsaid reservoir and .means for preventing the escape of air from saidreservoir reservoir to produce effects reminiscent of boiling.

ing 12 enters bottom portion 48. When this occurs, de-

presser 52 penetrates housing 12 to depress ball 31 and permit air toflow out of bladder, 27, through manifold 19 and tube 28. The rate ofair flow from tube 28 is limited by orifice 36. The air enters theinterior of portion 48, passes around bar 51, and rises through tube 49.As the air leaves through Whistle 50 it produces the noisecharacteristic of whistling tea kettles. The bladder 27 maybereinflated, even during this operation, since the resistance to air flowoffered by orifice can, if desired, be made greater than the resistanceto inflation offered by the bladder. Because of this, operation of pump14 will cause more air to flow into the bladder than through hose 28.

III. Boiling saucepan tom 61 is provided with two radially extendinglegs 63 and an air channel cover 64 which together provide tripodsupport for the pan on burner portion 11. A lip 65, in

the vicinity of legs 63, and a shoulder 66, in channel 64, keep the pantransversely aligned on portion 11. The junction of legs 63 and airchannel 64 is shaped to form an opening 67 having a circular crosssection and contoured to snugly receive valve housing 12. A tongue 68 ismounted within opening 67 and depresses ball 31 when pan C is in theposition shown in FIGURE 5. A series of air channels are provided whichconnect opening 67 with an air sparger such as orifice 69 in bottom 61..These channels include a radial feed channel 70, a vertical riser 71, across channel 72, an anti-siphon channel 73, and a transverse deliverychannel 74. A removable cover 75 is provided to give access to channels71, 72 and 73 for cleaning. The reason for use of channels 71 and 73 aswell as for the relatively high location of cross channel 72 is toprevent water from flowing out of the pan through orifice 69 and findingits way out through opening 67. In operation, the pan is filled withwater, as indicated in FIGURE 5. The level will always tend to be belowthe level of cross channel 72 and consequently no water will leavethrough orifice 69, except that necessary to fill anti-siphon channel73to the level which obtains in the 2. The toy of claim 1 wherein saidmeansfor utilizing compressed air from said reservoir includes awhistle.

3. The toy of claim 1 wherein said means for utilizing compressed airfrom said reservoir comprises: a vessel for holding a body of water sothat its surface is visible, said vessel further including a sparger forintroducing compressed air from said pneumatic reservoir into the bodyof Water in a manner to produce hydraulic turbulence reminiscent ofboiling.

4. A pneumatic toy comprising a housing having the configuration of astove; a bladder within said housing;

a pump for inflating said bladder, mounted on said housing; a pneumaticmanifold within saidhousing including a body portion provided with (a)an inlet leg, (b) a discharge leg, (0) a bladder leg, on which saidbladder is mounted, and a first check'valve adapted to seat,alternatively, so as to block said inlet leg (a) and said discharge leg(b) -in the first of said alternative positions preventing flow of airinto said pump and, in the second of said alternative positions,restricting flow of air into said discharge leg; a first conduitconnecting the discharge of said pump and said inlet leg; a secondconduit con:

'necting said discharge leg and the exterior of said houssaid housing;first conduit means connecting the discharge.

side of said pump with said reservoir; first check valve means betweensaid pump and said first conduit means permitting compressed air to flowonly from said pump into said first conduit; a second normally-closedcheck valve mounted in said housing and operable from the exteriorthereof; and second conduit means connecting said first conduit meansand said second check valve; operation of said pump inflating saidreservoir and discharge of air from said reservoir being effected onlyby the opening of said second check valve which occurs when saidaccessory'is mounted on said stove portion; said accessory including aportion which contacts and holds open said second normally-closed checkvalve; said accessory further including conduit means for receiving thestream of compressed air discharged from the pneumatic reservoir of saidstove portion via said second, check valve; and said accessory alsoincluding means for utilizing said stream of compressed air forproducing an effect reminiscent of boiling.

6. The toy of claim 5 wherein said air utilization means includes awhistle.

7. The toy of claim 5 wherein said air utilization means comprises meansfor retaining a body of Water so that its surface is visible; a spargerfor introducing compressed air into the body of water; conduit means fordirecting air coming from said pneumatic reservoir to said sparger, andanti-siphon means for preventing water from leaving the accessorythrough said sparger.

8. An accessory for use in connection with a toy stove containing apneumatic reservoir sealed by a normallyclosed check valve, saidaccessory comprising a casing; means dependent from said casing adaptedto contact said check valve and hold it open; conduit means forreceiving a stream of compressed air coming out through said checkvalve; means for retaining a body of water so that its surface isvisible; a sparger connected to said conduit means for introducingcompressed air into the body of water to produce an efiect reminiscentto boiling; and anti-siphon means for preventing water from flowing outof said accessory through said conduit means.

9. An accessory for use in connection with a toy stove, the top of whichhas a valve housing, Within which housing is a check valve through whichcompressed air may be discharged, said accessory comprising a casingcontoured to rest upon and be supported by the top of said adapted tosealingly receive the valve housing; a tongue coaxially mounted withinsaid conical opening and providing an annular air passageway between itand the walls of said opening, said tongue penetrating said valvehousing and opening said check valve when said valve housing is Withinsaid conical opening; a conduit for receiving the stream of compressedair coming out through said check valve; and means associated with saidconduit for utilizing the stream of compressed air to produce an effectreminiscent of boiling.

10. The accessory of claim 9 wherein said air utiliza tion meansincludes a whistle connected to said conduit.

11. The accessory of claim 9 wherein said air utilization means includesmeans for retaining .a body of water so that its surface is visible; asparger connected to said conduit for introducing compressed air intothe body of water; and anti-siphon means for preventing water fromflowing out said accessory to said conduit.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,080,340 12/13Heissenbuttel -10622 1,955,815 4/34 Lauterbach 46179 2,723,656 11/55Andina 124-11 2,991,575 7/61 Pearson 46-14 XR 3,046,966 7/ 62 Butler etal. 124-13 3,091,051 5/63 Glass et a1. 46-14 OTHER REFERENCES Kohler:German printed application No. 1,048,211.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

1. A PNEUMATIC TOY COMPRISING (A) A HOUSING HAVING THE CONFIGURATION OFA STOVE; A PNEUMATIC RESERVOIR WITHIN SAID HOUSING; MEANS FOR INFLATINGSAID RESERVOIR AND MEANS FOR PREVENTING THE ESCAPE OF AIR FROM SAIDRESERVOIR AND (B) AN ACCESSORY REMOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSINGINCLUDING MEANS FOR TAPPING SAID RESERVOIR, OPERATIVE ONLY SO LONG ASSAID ACCESSORY IS MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING; AND MEANS FOR UTILIZINGCOMPRESSED AIR FROM SAID RESERVOIR TO PRODUCE EFFECTS REMINISCENT OFBOILING.